Perfect Ending
by GreekEMTSlytherinSpriteFairy
Summary: Emily has the perfect ending to the not-so-perfect year. JJ/Emily/Henry family time.


AN: So it seems this year my muse heard the word "Christmas" and started running around in circles, screaming (much like Cassie does). I was having a devil of a time making a family oriented Emily/JJ for Monkeywand, but lo and behold I think I accomplished that! So without further ado sit back, relax, and enjoy! This is written for the Christmas Fic Exchange for Monkeywand.

Disclaimer: I only own the plotline!

Prompts: Emily/JJ, snow, fairy lights, roaring fire, and Carol of the Bells by the Trans-Siberian Orchestra

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"Emily, you have to go. It won't be that bad" JJ said as she dropped onto the couch next to Emily.

"But JJ..."

"No buts, Em. It's your mother's annual Christmas party. You have to go."

Emily looked at JJ who was cradling her cup of hot chocolate between her palms. Emily couldn't help but think how cute she looked in her pink flannel pajama bottoms and white long sleeve shirt.

"I want you to come."

JJ smiled as she took a sip of her drink. "You know we can't. I have to watch Henry."

"We can get a babysitter. Morgan and Garcia wouldn't mind having him for the night!"

JJ gave Emily a look.

"We've talked about this, Em. You can do this like you have every year since you were born." Emily sighed. JJ was right, sadly. The two sat in silence, staring at the roaring fire they had going in the fire place. "You know, the only thing I want for Christmas is for us to be allowed to be together without judgment." Emily slid closer to JJ and rubbed JJ's thigh soothingly.

"One day, JJ. One day."

JJ laid her head on Emily's shoulder. Both sitting in silence, sipping their drinks and enjoying the peace. Emily looked at the monitor as shuffling was heard before Henry grew quiet again.

"Think it'll snow this year?"

"I hope so. Henry is at the age where we can have fun out in the snow with him."

JJ laughed. "Yeah, he won't try to eat it all this year."

They sat in silence, just enjoying each other's company. "Turn it on" JJ said softly. Emily leaned forward, jostling JJ, as she picked up the remote and pointed it at the stereo. The music started up softly and JJ hummed in pleasure as her favorite Christmas song, Carol of the Bells, filled the room.

"I can't believe of all the songs on this CD, this is your favorite."

"Hey, the Trans-Siberian Orchestra can make any song sound amazing, ok?"

Emily laughed as she drummed a pattern on JJ's leg. "Will you help me get ready tomorrow?"

JJ laughed and kissed Emily's neck. "Of course I will. You would dress like you're going to work if I didn't."

Emily shot her a look of mock outrage. "I can dress myself thank you very much!"

JJ snorted. "Sure sweetie. Whatever you say."

Emily frowned at JJ's disbelieving tone of voice. "Do you not like how I dress?"

JJ looked up at Emily from under her eyelashes. "I love how you dress." JJ kissed Emily's ear. "Especially when you wear red" she whispered in her ear.

Emily laughed lightly. "Just like how you look amazing in blue." JJ pulled away and pushed her golden locks over her shoulder. "It brings out your eyes."

JJ set her mug down on the coffee table before turning back to Emily. "You know, guys have told me that before, but I never believed it until we started dating."

Emily brushed JJ's hair behind her ear. "It's true. Your hair is silky, golden strands of sunshine and your eyes are perfection. You are perfection, Jennifer Jareau. And you're all mine and mine alone." Emily leaned forward and pressed her lips against JJ's.

"I love you Emily" JJ murmured. Emily kissed JJ once more.

"I love you too, JJ."

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"I don't know, JJ. Are you sure no one can see it?"

JJ looked up from the puzzle she was helping Henry with to see Emily standing in the doorway. "You look beautiful, Em. Doesn't she, Henry?"

"Pwetty mommy!" the three year old trilled. JJ gave her a look that proved her point. Emily sighed and headed back into the bedroom, staring at the full length mirror in the corner. She didn't feel pretty, she felt self-conscious. The one-shoulder, black floor length gown was fitted with rouching on the side. A line of beading ran down the left side. A slit ran up the right side giving her room to move.

"It covers it, Emily. I wouldn't let you wear something that didn't." Emily looked at JJ in the mirror. "Just put some shoes on, go to this party, and then come home so Henry can open one of our presents before he goes to bed."

Emily sighed and nodded. "I'll be an hour tops so he can go to bed and not miss Santa tonight!" Emily and JJ shared a smiled as they heard a little squeal outside the door. "Mister Henry better not be listening, or Santa might not come!" They laughed as they heard the steady beat of little feet running back to the living room.

"Now he's never going to snoop again" JJ said as Emily slipped on her shoes. Emily winked at her.

"That's the point!" She bent down and pressed her lips against JJ's forehead. "I'll be home soon. I'm sorry you can't come."

JJ smiled as she gave Emily a proper kiss. "It doesn't matter. The only family who matters knows." And thank god the team had been so supportive of them. "Have fun."

Emily snorted. "A blast." She scooped Henry up in her arms and gave him an Eskimo kiss before kissing his cheek. "You be good for mommy. I'll be home soon then you can open one present before Santa comes."

"Kay momma." Emily set him down and took her clutch purse from JJ before saluting them and leaving the home they shared as a family. Emily shivered slightly as she slid into the car, turning the heat up. With the grey skies and the temperature, there was a good possibility it would snow.

Emily bit her fingernail the entire drive over to her mother's place. She wanted to tell her mother about JJ, but what if she didn't accept it? Although Emily couldn't remember a time in her life where her mother actually liked any of the choices she made.

"Alright, Em. You can do this. Just an hour to say pleasantries, then say you have to go do... something. It won't be that bad" Emily murmured to herself as she slid out of the car and started for the front door. Before she could knock, the door was flung open and Emily was drug inside.

"Emily! You're late!" Emily looked at her watch.

"Mom, its 4 o'clock."

"It's 4:01" her mother hissed. Emily rolled her eyes as Roberta, her mother's housekeeper, took her coat from Emily. "Now, since you're still single I've managed to round up a few possibilities for you to..."

"Well mom, I'm actually seeing someone." Emily bit her lip. Well she had successfully talked herself out of doing this on the way here, but apparently her mind had other plans. The look of shock on her mother's face was worth whatever was coming next.

"Oh? And why didn't I know this? Why didn't you bring him?"

"Well mom, it's actually not a he." Emily paused as her mother's face widened in shock as her words registered. "Her name's JJ..."

"The blonde on your team, yes I remember her." Elizabeth's face tightened. "Honestly, Emily," Emily waited for the judgment on being lesbian, "You could have told me before I made a fool of myself. Or at the very least brought her with you. Now I'm going to have to think of something to make them forget I said anything!" Emily blinked.

"You're... you're not mad?"

"I'm furious Emily Elizabeth Prentiss!" Her mother started walking away. Emily caught her arm and with a laugh, hugged her tightly. "Did you honestly think I was that horrible of a person to not accept you, Emily? I know you've made some rather... unsavory choices in the past, but if you're happy, I suppose that's all that matters." Emily pulled away and stared at her mother.

"Who are you and what have you done with my real mom?"

Elizabeth swat at Emily's hands as they walked into the party. "Now, I have what? An hour?"

Emily tried to look innocent. "An hour for what?"

Elizabeth rolled her eyes. "An hour until you try to make excuses to leave. That gives me plenty of time to introduce you to everyone." Emily groaned. "Oh! Mrs. Spiegel, I'd like you to meet my daughter, Emily."

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"So, how was it?" JJ asked as Emily stumbled in the door four hours later. Emily looked at JJ, who was curled up with Henry watching Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer on TV.

"It was horrible. I met everyone there. All 365 of them. I swear my mother makes a new acquaintance every day for a year. They're never the same people each year!" Emily kissed the top of both JJ and Henry's head before kicking off her heals and moving into their bedroom. She slipped the gown off before putting on her flannel pants and grey t-shirt.

"It can't be that bad" JJ said as Emily flopped onto the couch next to Henry, grabbing a handful of popcorn from the bowl.

"Present?" Henry asked, beaming.

JJ laughed and looked at Emily. "It's up to you."

Emily ruffled Henry's hair. "Sure, Sprout. Go get one." Emily took the popcorn bowl from him and the two watched as Henry raced to their small tree sitting in the corner and picked up a present. He took a few steps away before plunking to his bottom and tearing at the Christmas Cars wrapping paper.

"It took five minutes to wrap that and five seconds for it to be pulled off" Emily murmured as she ate another handful of popcorn.

"Lookit momma! Fiwe Twuck!"

"I see! How cool is that? Does it make noise?" Emily sat forward and took the offered toy before Henry raced around the coffee table and jumped between the two. Emily handed the toy to him before Henry started pressing the buttons, their living room filled with lights and sirens, making Henry laugh wildly.

"Alright, Squirt, bedtime." Henry pouted and Emily tickled his tummy, causing him to giggle.

"No bed" he said. Emily scooped him up and started towards his room.

"You have to go to bed; otherwise Santa won't bring you any more presents!" Henry looked at Emily, wide eyed.

"No presents?"

"If you don't go to sleep. So now you've got to go to bed, ok?" Henry nodded as Emily dropped him onto his bed and pulled his comforter over him. She bent over and kissed his forehead as she stroked his cheek. "Night, Sprout."

"Night, momma." JJ sat on the other side of Henry with their nightly book in her hands.

"You ready?" Henry nodded wildly. "Bedtime for Baby Star. Once there was a baby star. He lived up near the sun. And every night at bedtime that baby star wanted to have some fun. He would shine and shine and fall and shoot and twinkle oh so bright. And he said, "Mommy, I'll run away if you make me say good night." And then his mommy kissed his sparkly nose and said, "No matter where you go, no matter where you are, no matter how big you grow and even if you stray far, I'll love you forever, because you're always my baby star."

"Night, mommy."

"Good night, my baby star" JJ said as she kissed his forehead. Henry held his stuffed dinosaur close and rolled on to his side. JJ stood and Emily took her hand as they shut off the lights and sat on the couch. By the glow of the multicolored fairy lights on the Christmas tree, Emily and JJ could see it starting to snow outside.

"It may not have been a perfect year, but this is how it should be" Emily whispered as they cuddled together on the couch, watching the snow fall peacefully.

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AN: Alright so I really hope that was ok and you all enjoyed it, especially you Monkeywand! Since my muse is so anti-holiday right now, I'm betting this might be my only holiday story, so from me to you and your family, have a safe and happy Holiday!


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